BA (Hons) Criminology and Sociology

BA Criminology and Sociology offers the exciting opportunity to combine the study of two cutting-edge disciplines in the vibrant city of Manchester.

The course is aimed at students who are interested in both disciplines and want to study the causes, patterns, consequences and responses to crime by situating them in the wider context of society.

The first year introduces students to the building blocks of criminology and sociology: key sociological and criminological theories, social divisions and problems, the criminal justice system, crime policy and practice, and key social transformations such as digital culture. Students will receive training in a wide range of research methods during the first two years, to become equipped to undertake their own independent research project in the final year.

Our large, multi-disciplinary department believes in offering students extensive optionality to study specific areas of both sociology and criminology in depth. Throughout the degree, there is an emphasis on developing skills and experiences that are relevant to professional careers, including work experience, study-abroad schemes, and independent project work. If students wish, they can study a foreign language as part of their degree. In the final year students have the option of moving onto the BSc route, which means receiving extensive quantitative methods training and graduating with a BSc title.

This joint degree offers the opportunity to study the two related disciplines of sociology and criminology. 

Both sociology and criminology offer an understanding of the world and society that emphasises the interaction between individuals, groups and social institutions. A key concern is to what extent individuals shape their own lives and in what ways larger social structures (e.g. gender, ethnicity or social class) impact on them. You will gain a thorough grounding in sociological concepts and research methods which help us to understand how modern society functions. Moreover, you will study the causes and consequences of crime, society's responses to law-breaking and the processes of the criminal justice system.

As you progress through this course, you will have increasing levels of flexibility, allowing you to pursue your own specific interests in the fields of sociology and criminology from a broad range of option units. The course is supported by the use of innovative teaching methods, particularly interactive learning, and you will develop a wide range of transferable skills, which will prove valuable for an array of graduate careers inside the criminal justice system and beyond.